Forever and For Always

3. Hunting

Immediately, I felt Jasper’s calming waves come over me. Some of the horror went away and I took a deep, calming breath. All of the family was alarmed, but Edward was the first to break the silence. “What’s wrong?” He asked, softly.

And his pained face made me flinch away. I could just imagine what was running through his mind at this moment. “It’s my…eyes.” I whispered. Edward sighed in relief, as did his family, and my eyes widened. “That’s a good thing?” I cried.

Emmett couldn’t contain himself at this and he let out a booming laugh. Esme and Carlisle had their heads down, smiles playing at their lips. Rosalie was smirking, plus Jasper and Alice chuckled softly. Edward just beamed with relief.

I looked around glaring at the hysterical vampires when Carlisle decided to step in. “Bella, honey. You are supposed to have red eyes. All new vampires do. It is the remains of your human blood.” Relief washed over me with this realization, but mostly just embarrassment. I

f I had been human my cheeks would have been flushed with red. “Oh,” I said putting my head down in embarrassment. They just smiled (with only a few laughs escaping). Edward, seeing my discomfort, gestured for them to leave and then pulled me close to his chest.

I breathed in his sweet scent for a while until I remembered my child. “Where’s Ava?” I asked. Edward was suddenly hesitant as he answered. “She’s upstairs sleeping.”

"Can I please see here?” I pleaded. “Well…I don’t…know.” He said, again very hesitant. I rolled my eyes and decided to try a different approach. “You don’t think that I would hurt my own baby?” I cried with fake alarm. He sighed, frustrated, but I could tell that I had won.

“Fine,” He muttered. “But first you need to hunt.” I grinned mischievously at him. “First, I want you to kiss me again.” He smiled impishly and took my face in his hands.

His lips brushed mine teasingly and then he leaned into the kiss with all of his love. It was like we were frozen in time. But after awhile Edward pulled slowly away his eyes burning into mine and said that it was time to hunt. I nodded weakly, my breathing slowly returning to normal.

He led me to the backyard of Esme and Carlisle’s classic house. The woods encircled their house, which was why we had decided to have the transformation there. “Are you ready?” He asked, smiling broadly. “I’m ready!” I exclaimed.

I could already hear the sounds of the forest and my excitement was flooding through me. He chuckled, and his smile grew wider showing his brilliantly white teeth. “Run with me.”

He said taking off through the trees. I smiled and raced after him. He stopped behind a large boulder and pointed ahead to an elk. “Just let your senses take over.” He whispered. I nodded trying not to think of my razor sharp teeth sinking into the elks’ innocent throat.

I shivered now not to confident about the whole hunting thing. “You can do it.” Edward murmured. “Remember, Bells. Let your senses take over.” He repeated. I took a deep breath and tried not to think about the elk.

Just about my thirst and the smell of the elk. Of the sounds the vulnerable elk was making. Soon all I could see was the elk. And I didn’t feel bad for him. I was his predator and he was my prey, nothing more.

I wasn’t even conscious of Edward’s figure beside me. All that mattered was that elk and I was going to bring him down. I bounded off in his direction and I dove into him. I took him down easily, almost gracefully, and sunk my teeth into his neck.

His cries of pain were silenced with one swift movement as I broke his neck. I drank greedily from the open wound and before I knew it there was no more blood left in the furry body. I felt Edward’s hands pull me out of my senses and back into consciousness. “Good job.” He said.

“Now were going to need to get rid of the evidence.” We buried the dead elk deep into the ground with our very capable hands and then started back to the house to see Ava.

I was overjoyed to be reunited with my daughter, but I still couldn’t put that horrible picture of the elk that was completely sucked dry, from my mind. It pestered me the whole way home and I felt terrible. But soon forgot my worries as Edward leaned in to kiss me again.